Aircraft Screws Market to reach US$ 649 million in 2024

Screw is an essential member of the fasteners family and is heavily used during the aircraft manufacturing. Screws used in the aircraft industry are of very high grade as compared to those used in general industries. Screw currently accounts for less than 5% of the total aircraft fasteners market but is one of the fastest-growing fastener type in the industry.

The screws market for the aircraft industry seems promising with attractive growth opportunities in the entire ecosystem of the market. The aircraft screws market is projected to grow at a healthy rate over the next five years to reach US$ 649 million in 2024. Increasing production rates of the key aircraft programs, such as B737, B787, A320, and A350XWB; introduction of variants of the best-selling aircraft programs (A320 neo, B737 Max, B777x, and A330 neo); market entry of new aircraft (C919 and MC-21), rising global aircraft fleet size, and increasing demand for lightweight and corrosion-resistant screws are the major growth drivers of the global aircraft screws market.

Over the past five years, the market for aircraft screws has been recording various strategic initiatives, which are changing market dynamics and competitive landscapes. For instance; in 2016, Precision Cast Parts Corp. (PCC), the leading supplier of aircraft fasteners including screws, was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. , a leading American Holding company, for a deal value of US$ 37.2 billion.

The global aircraft screws market is segmented based on the aircraft type as Commercial Aircraft, Military Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, and Helicopter. Commercial Aircraft is likely to remain the growth engine of the market during the forecast period. Both, Boeing and Airbus, are raising the production rates of their respective best-selling commercial aircraft programs of B737 and A320. Further, there is also an increase in the production rate of next-generation aircraft program B787 and A350XWB, which is also likely to spur the growth of the segment.

Based on the material type, the aircraft screws market is segmented into titanium screws, stainless steel screws, and other screws. Titanium is likely to remain the most dominant material type in the aircraft screws market over the next five years, propelled by increasing usage of titanium in the manufacturing of screws by replacing steel and aluminum screws. Titanium offers significant weight-saving advantage along with excellent corrosion resistance as compared to other competing materials.

Based on the application type, the airframe is projected to remain the largest application segment of the aircraft screws market during the forecast. Fuselage and wings cover a large surface area and have thousands of screws deployed in them, which make airframe the most dominant segment. Interior is projected to grow with the highest rate during the forecast period, driven by growing replacement or refurbishment of cabin interiors.

Based on the end-user type, OE sales is likely to remain the larger segment of the market during the forecast period. There are more than 100 aircraft OEMs worldwide, the majority of those have assembly plants located in North America and Europe. This makes these two regions as the most dominant OE markets for aircraft screws. The aftermarket segment is likely to witness the higher growth in the market during the forecast period.

Based on the regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for aircraft screws during the forecast period as the region is the manufacturing capital of the aircraft industry with the presence of several large- to small-sized aircraft OEMs, tier players, screw manufacturers, and distributors. The USA is not only the largest market for aircraft screws in North America but also in the world. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, and The Cessna Aircraft Company are some of the major OEMs in the USA, which generate a healthy demand for screws in the country. Asia-Pacific is likely to depict the highest growth during the same period. China and India are the growth engines of the Asia-Pacific’s aircraft screws market. These economies keep on generating a high demand for commercial aircraft to support the rising passenger traffic.